Removable climbing holds are designed for climbing training and exercises on a wall, on an artificial climbing surface, or on an individual apparatus.
All known removable holds are fixed to their support by means of a mechanical bolt. Such a bolt fixing system enables the climbing hold to be moved, rotated, removed or changed.
The holds are generally manufactured from molded resin material, and the presence of the hole for passage of the bolt in the middle area does however cause a weakening of the mechanical strength of the hold. When the bolt is tightened too tightly, or during the climber's climbing exercise, this type of hold can break. The bits of the broken hold are then liable to fall onto the people standing near the climbing wall. The climber hanging on to the broken hold is also likely to fall, and is further secured by the cord attached to its harness.
The document U.S. Pat. No. 6,074,327 describes a climbing hold which is capable of being securely fastened to a climbing wall without fracturing. A reinforcing sleeve is therefore secured within the aperture of the hold body, so as to support a portion of the fastener. The sleeve includes a tubular portion extending through the aperture, and radially extending end faces to prevent translation of said hold body when mounted to the climbing wall. The presence of this tubular sleeve cannot prevent the hold to break when the bolt is tightened too tightly.